National Honor Society
How the National Honor Society began, what its four pillars mean and what DaVinci Academy's chapter does for service.
In 1916, a group of school leaders established the National Association of Secondary School Principals, commonly known by its acronym, NASSP, or website address, principals.org, an organization focused on assisting in strengthening and easing their roles as the head of the education system, by providing professional resources and recommendations for laws and policies that affect their position or school. Their main goal is now to “provide a national voice” and improve teaching.
Five years later, they created the National Honor Society, frequently called by its acronym, NHS, which “recognizes outstanding high school students.” Members are hand-selected by school and chapter administrators on the basis of high morals and dedication to being actively involved in improving their school and community. The amount and magnitude of previous service and leadership is also taken into consideration, and is most of the information asked on the application. They must also exemplify the four pillars of NHS: character, leadership, scholarship, service.
It is called “the most prestigious organization a student can join” by both their About Us webpage and Mrs. Taylor, DaVinci Academy’s club adviser. According to President Mason Norvell, this is due to the high standards required to attain and maintain membership. However, those requirements are at the sole discretion of the chapter administrators and are usually limited in terms of consequence. A non-member student, whose name will not be revealed, strongly believes that “several other clubs look better on a resume or college application,” such as Student Government, which helps improve every student’s experience, and the Red Cross Club & Youth Services, which does service for the whole community and not just the school.
“The most prestigious organization a student can join.” Mrs. Taylor
Although NHS excels and requires participation in all its pillars, the main focus has always been on service. Members are required to perform an individual project, in addition to a chapter-wide one. A project differs from simply volunteering in the sense that you have a goal and purpose, in addition to a definite task to complete. Most of the service provided by our school’s chapter is not for the community, but rather for DaVinci students. They have previously tutored students in all academics after school and run book drives, but are now looking to find more projects for service, building a book exchange or portable library.
Questions people ask
When was the National Honor Society founded?
The National Honor Society was established on March 1, 1921. It was founded by Edward Rynearson, then principal of Fifth Avenue High School in Pittsburgh and a member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), which remains the society's parent organization. A companion group for middle schoolers, the National Junior Honor Society, followed in 1929.
What are the four pillars of the National Honor Society?
The four pillars are scholarship, character, leadership and service. Local chapters choose members through a Faculty Council that looks at each of these areas, so strong grades alone are not enough. Students are also judged on their record of leadership, their conduct and the service they have done for their school and community.
